artisan MDR User manual

Artisan Technology Group is your source for quality
new and certied-used/pre-owned equipment
• FAST SHIPPING AND
DELIVERY
• TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
IN-STOCK ITEMS
• EQUIPMENT DEMOS
• HUNDREDS OF
MANUFACTURERS
SUPPORTED
• LEASING/MONTHLY
RENTALS
• ITAR CERTIFIED
SECURE ASSET SOLUTIONS
SERVICE CENTER REPAIRS
Experienced engineers and technicians on staff
at our full-service, in-house repair center
WE BUY USED EQUIPMENT
Sell your excess, underutilized, and idle used equipment
We also offer credit for buy-backs and trade-ins
www.artisantg.com/WeBuyEquipment
REMOTE INSPECTION
Remotely inspect equipment before purchasing with
our interactive website at www.instraview.com
LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION?
Visit us on the web at www.artisantg.com for more
information on price quotations, drivers, technical
specications, manuals, and documentation
Contact us: (888) 88-SOURCE | [e-mail] | www.artisantg.com
SM
View
Instra

MDR
MIDAS Data Recorder
User Guide
Doc version 1.4.7, 27 November 2001
for software from version 1.4.4
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a
commitment by VMETRO. While reasonable precautions have been taken, VMETRO assumes no
responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document.
ii MDR User’s Guide
Copyright ©1998-2001 VMETRO
This document may not be furnished or disclosed to any third party and may
not be copied or reproduced in any form, electronic, mechanical, or
otherwise, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of VMETRO
Inc. (Houston, TX, USA) or VMETRO asa (Oslo, Norway).
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

MDR User’s Guide iii
Warranty
VMETRO products are warranted against defective materials and workmanship within the warranty
period of 1 (one) year from the date of invoice. Within the warranty period, VMETRO will, free of
charge, repair or replace any defective unit covered by this warranty, shipping prepaid. A Return
Authorization Code should be obtained from VMETRO prior to the return of any defective product.
With any returned product, a written description of the nature of the malfunction should be enclosed.
The product must be shipped in its original shipping container or similar packaging with sufficient
mechanical and electrical protection in order to maintain warranty.
This warranty assumes normal use. Products subjected to unreasonably rough handling, negligence,
abnormal voltages, abrasion, unauthorized parts replacement and repairs, or theft are not covered by
this warranty and will, if possible, be repaired for time and material charges in effect at the time of
repair.
VMETRO's warranty is limited to the repair or replacement policy described above and neither
VMETRO nor its agent shall be responsible for consequential or special damages related to the use
of their products.
Limited Liability
VMETRO does not assume any liability arising out of the application or use of any product de-
scribed herein; neither does it convey any license under its patent rights nor the rights of others.
VMETRO products are not designed, intended, or authorized for use as components in systems in-
tended to support or sustain life, or for any application in which failure of the VMETRO product
could create a situation where personal injury or death may occur. Should Buyer purchase or use
VMETRO products for any such unintended or unauthorized application, Buyer shall indemnify and
hold VMETRO and its officers, employees, subsidiaries, affiliates, and distributors harmless against
all claims, costs, damages, and expenses, and reasonable attorney fees arising out of, directly or in-
directly, any claim of personal injury or death associated with such unintended or unauthorized use,
even if such claim alleges that VMETRO was negligent regarding the design or manufacture of the
part.
USA/Canada: VMETRO, Inc. 1880 Dairy Ashford, Suite 400,
Houston TX 77077, U.S.A.
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]
Europe/Asia: VMETRO asa
Brynsveien 5
0667 OSLO, Norway
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]
www.vmetro.com
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

Conventions used in this document
The following section describes conventions used in this document.
Symbols Meaning
The STOP symbol indicates a section of critical importance. Overlooking
this information may cause damage to the MDR and/or other equipment.
Indicates important, but not crucial information. Still, you should take
notice if you want to use all capabilities built into the MDR.
IEC Prefixes for binary multiples
Symbol Name Origin Derivation
Ki Kibi Kilobinary kilo
Mi Mebi Megabinary mega
Gi Gibi Gigabinary giga
Example:
1 Kibit = 1024 bit
1 MiB = 1 048 576 bytes
Related Documentation
• MDR-220 Quick Guide
• MDR-250 Quick Guide
• MDR Release Notes
iv MDR User’s Guide
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

MDR User’s Guide v
Contents
1Introduction 1
1.1 Features & Performance .............................................................................................3
1.2 Hardware Components................................................................................................4
1.3 Software Components.................................................................................................5
1.4 Host System Requirements ......................................................................................... 5
1.5 Host Computer Software (SDK CD-ROM) ................................................................5
1.6 MDR Preloaded Software (MDR Firmware)..............................................................6
1.7 Data Storage Format ...................................................................................................6
1.8 MDR Swinging Buffers .............................................................................................. 7
1.9 Data Readback ............................................................................................................8
1.10 Supported PMCs ......................................................................................................... 9
2Hardware Installation 10
2.1 Handling Precautions................................................................................................10
2.2 MDR Module Board Layout..................................................................................... 11
2.3 MDR Board Switch and Jumper Locations ..............................................................12
2.4 Installing the MDR Module into the VME Chassis ..................................................13
2.5 Cable Installation ......................................................................................................13
2.6 Power Consumption..................................................................................................13
2.7 Hardware Configuration ...........................................................................................13
3Standalone MDR 14
3.1 MDR Software..........................................................................................................14
3.2 VxWorks Boot Parameters for the MDR board........................................................14
3.3 Configuring the MDR for Standalone Operation...................................................... 15
3.4 Connecting to the MDR Server from the MDR Shell...............................................16
3.5 Converting from Network to Standalone MDR ........................................................ 17
4Host Network-Based MDR 18
4.1 MDR Host Software .................................................................................................18
4.2 Host MDR Shell and API Installation.......................................................................19
4.3 Configuring the MDR Shell......................................................................................20
4.4 Configuring the MDR for Ethernet Operation ..........................................................21
4.5 Configuring the MDR for Shared Memory Network Operation...............................22
4.6 Connecting to the MDR Server from the MDR Shell...............................................24
5Host Direct-Connection MDR 25
5.1 Configuring the MDR Host Software for Direct Connection ...................................25
5.2 Installing the Fibre Channel driver for Windows or Solaris .....................................26
5.3 Connecting the MDR Shell to the disk subsystem.................................................... 29
6Host Network and Direct Connection MDR 30
6.1 Configuring the MDR for Network & Direct Connection ........................................30
7MDR Shell Commands 31
MDR Shell Command Description .........................................................................................32
8MDR API Functions 45
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

vi MDR User’s Guide
8.1 Header Files.............................................................................................................. 45
8.2 Error Conditions ....................................................................................................... 46
8.3 API Function Description......................................................................................... 46
8.4 MDR API Example Programs .................................................................................. 61
8.5 MDR API Limitation................................................................................................ 62
8.6 Compilation Instructions .......................................................................................... 62
8.7 Externals Libraries.................................................................................................... 63
9MDR Operations 64
9.1 Disk Groups.............................................................................................................. 64
9.2 Transfer Operations .................................................................................................. 65
9.3 Recovery from power failure.................................................................................... 69
10 Configuration Files 71
10.1 Summary Table ........................................................................................................ 72
10.2 Item modification ..................................................................................................... 73
10.3 MDR system configuration file (mdr.ini)................................................................. 74
10.4 VxWorks configuration file (vxbsp.ini) ................................................................... 78
10.5 VxWorks boot parameters file (vxbp.txt)................................................................. 80
10.6 MIDAS Monitor configuration file (mmon.ini) ....................................................... 81
10.7 Configuring an MDR Unit by Preloading the Boot Parameter Files ........................ 82
ATroubleshooting 85
BError Messages 86
CUpgrading the MDR System Software 89
MDR Firmware (mdrvxst.hex) ............................................................................................... 89
Version Upgrade Matrix ......................................................................................................... 89
Restoring Corrupt FLASH...................................................................................................... 92
DSupported PMCs Documentation 94
Fibre Channel Storage ............................................................................................................ 94
FPDP - Digital I/O .................................................................................................................. 97
Ethernet Host Interface ......................................................................................................... 105
SCSI PMC Backup ............................................................................................................... 107
EMDR Standard Configurations 110
FMiscellaneous Functionalities 111
MDR Status Block mapped to VMEbus ............................................................................... 111
MDR Server boot status........................................................................................................ 112
GGlossary 115
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

MDR User Guide 1
1 Introduction
The MDR (MIDAS Data Recorder) is a family of ready-to-run VMEbus-based
subsystems that offer up to Terabytes of real-time permanent recording or playback of
high-speed digital data. Continuous recording at rates up to 90 MB/s can be performed
for minutes or even hours, limited only by the capacity of the disk storage system. The
MDR is typically used to record raw sensor data directly from the data path between
A/D converters and DSP processors in systems such as radars, sonars etc. Versions of
the product are also capable of doing fixed-rate playback of recorded or preloaded data
at speeds up to 72 MB/s, to feed data into a sensor data path for sensor emulation,
system testing or verification purposes.
The MDR system hardware consists of four primary components:
1) Pre-programmed, self-contained VMEbus module
o MDR-220 with two PMC sites
o MDR-250 with five PMC sites
2) PMC modules installed into sites onto the MDR boards
o DPIO-xI - data input interface to convert 32-bit parallel FPDP to PCI
o DPIO-xO - data output interface to convert PCI to 32-bit parallel FPDP
o VMFC-2100 - PMC Fiber Channel Adapter
o Ethernet host interface supporting TCP/IP over 10/100 Mbits/s
3) Mass storage system based on 3rd-party Fibre Channel disk arrays.
o RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks
o JBOD - Just a Bunch of Disks
4) PCI Module plugged directly into Host Computer
o VMFC-2100P - (or VMFC-2200P) Fiber Channel Disk Interface Adapter
All main components of an MDR system are based on industry standards (VME,
PMC/PCI, Fibre Channel) and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) modules, such as the
VMETRO MIDAS board and selected PMC modules. The MDR board is intended to be
integrated into a customer’s VME chassis, typically together with 3rd-party ADC and
DSP boards. DPIO boards are based on industry-standard FPDP parallel port for
compatibility with 3rd-party A/D converters (ADCs) and DSPs, or variants of this
interface using Differential TTL (RS422), PECL or LVDS signaling.
The MDR system software consists of a variety of components provided either as an
SDK (Software Distribution Kit) CD-ROM for user installation onto a Host workstation
or firmware preloaded into FLASH on the MDR board.
The SDK is to be installed onto a host computer and provides the following components.
• MDR Shell (MDR Client) Host-based module
• MDR API (C/C++)
• Device Drivers (i.e., fibre channel PMC, etc.)
The firmware applications preloaded in the MDR FLASH provide all functionality
necessary to run the MDR system. This package includes firmware applications and
necessary configuration files. The MDR resident applications are:
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

2 MDR User Guide
• MDR Server (can only be run on an MDR board)
• MDR Shell (MDR Client) Standalone module
Using the MDR software and firmware, the MDR system may be operated in either of
four modes depending upon system requirements:
1. MDR Standalone - MDR-2x0 runs both MDR Server and Shell. No Host
workstation required. Monitor with VT100 terminal.
2. Host Network-based - MDR Shell on Host workstation and MDR Server
on MDR-2x0 board.
 Using MDR-250 with Ethernet PMC
 Using MDR-220 with Shared-Memory Network (SMN) to SBC
3. Host Direct-Connection - MDR software on Host workstation
communicates via FC HBA to disk array. No MDR-2x0 board required.
4. Host Network and Direct Connection - combination of modes 2 and 3.
Except in Host Direct Connection, all the MDR data transfer occurs through the MDR
Server application resident in the MDR-2x0 board. The MDR Server is necessary for
data recording capability. In Direct Connection, the MDR Server is bypassed and no
recording may take place, although files may be transferred between the workstation
and the disk array. When both Network and Direct connections are present, the setting
of the UseHostFcAdapter parameter in the Host mdr.ini file determines which path is
used to access the disk array and which functions are active.
The MDR shell (MDR client) is run on the Host in the host-based mode and is run on
the MDR-2x0 in the standalone mode. The MDR Server, running on the MDR board,
normally performs the disk array management, although in Direct Connection, the disk
array is accessed and can be managed directly using a Fiber Channel adapter in the host
workstation.
Typically, in the system development phase, the MDR is controlled from a host
computer using the C/C++ API or a text-based user interface (MDR Shell). The host
may communicate with the MDR using standard TCP/IP over Ethernet or with a high-
speed TCP/IP protocol (SMN) over VMEbus. The host can be one of four possible
computer systems as detailed in Section 1.5: Host System Requirements.
In Standalone operation, a VT100 terminal or terminal emulator is attached to the MDR
RS232 port. In this case both the MDR Server and the Client (MDR Shell) programs
run in the MDR board. This configuration is often used for host-independent operation
of the MDR, suitable for in-the-field recording missions.
In Direct Connection operation, a dedicated Fibre Channel link is established between
the host computer and the disk array. This is done to speed up read back of recorded data
by the host or to preload data for playback into a system. In this configuration, none of
the MDR Server calls are used, with all data manipulation performed directly by the host
computer. Full Disk Group functionality is only available in Direct Connection.
The MDR is available with standard commercial environmental specifications, with an
operating temperature range of 0-50°C for the MDR board and 0-25°C for the disk stor-
age system. A ruggedized version designed to withstand specified amounts of shock, vi-
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

bration and extended temperature range for both the MDR board and the disk storage
system is under development.
Note that it is not possible to write recordings in ASCII format with the MDR. The
MDR only writes recordings in a binary format. The user must convert data accordingly.
1.1 Features & Performance
MDR subsystems incorporate the features leading to the associated benefits.
Features Benefits
Up to 90 MB/s real-time permanent
ADCs for recording for minutes or
hours
Record raw sensor data directly from radar
algorithm development, mission analysis
Status tags Data recovery after power failure
FPDP TTL parallel interface Compatibility with 3rd-party ADCs and DSPs
Fibre Channel disk interface High speed, very scalable, convenient cabling
JBOD disk arrays Very cost effective, high capacity, scalable
RAID disk arrays Redundancy offers protection against disk
failure
Controlled with User I/F or C++ API Ready to run, or control from user application
Host access via Ethernet or VMEbus Use workstation or an embedded VME host
Direct Fibre Channel host access to
disks
Very fast readback of recorded data by host
User I/F accessible through RS232 port Host-independent operation, ideal in the field
Optional playback at up to 72 MB/s Sensor emulation, system testing or verifica-
tion
Optional SCSI Tape Station (DLT/AIT-
1/2)
Direct backup of recorded data
MDR Systems have been tested to provide the following performance.
MDR User Guide 3
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

1.2 Hardware Components
The components available in the current MDR series contain powerful Twin i960 &
Memory and support either two (2) or five (5) PMC Carriers (MDR-220 or MDR-250).
The architecture couples each processor and memory array to a PMC I/O Sub-System,
for maximum data throughput. These are MIDAS boards with the necessary software
embedded in on-board FLASH memory to support the MDR PMC combinations.
1.2.1MDR-220
Two PMCs positions – one for FPDP (data source) and the other for the Fibre Channel
connection to the disk array. Typically used for standalone or Shared Memory Network.
4 MDR User Guide
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

1.2.2MDR-250
Five PMCs positions for more versatile I/O configurations. This configuration is the
preferred method for providing Ethernet connection to a host computer, because an
additional VME SBC is not required to provide the network gateway.
For further details, see Appendix E: MDR Standard Configurations.
1.3 Software Components
MDR-HOST-SW MDR host software contains MDR Shell and API for host
workstation (Only one required per project).
MDR-xx0 Base software run-time licenses included.
1.4 Host System Requirements
Host architectures:
• Sun SparcStation with Solaris 2.6 (or higher) and Ethernet interface,
• i386 (or higher) PC with Windows NT/2000 and Ethernet interface,
• MIDAS with VxWorks 5.4,
• Power PC SBC with VxWorks 5.3.1/5.4.
1.5 Host Computer Software (SDK CD-ROM)
The MDR can be connected to the host computer via the RS-232 port or via Ethernet
(requires an Ethernet PMC on the MDR-250 base unit or VME SBC for network
gateway). All the software needed to run the MDR system from any of the above hosts is
contained in a CD-ROM. The Host MDR Shell relies on the mdr.ini file. The mdr.ini is
located in the host/etc directory and must be modified with a text-only editor (i.e.,
Notepad) to set parameters such as the number of disks.
For further details on the MDR Host software, see Section 4: MDR Host Software.
MDR User Guide 5
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

6 MDR User Guide
1.6 MDR Preloaded Software (MDR Firmware)
The most significant software module in the MDR system is the MDR Server. The
MDR Server processes all accesses to the disk array (except Direct Connection). The
key configuration files used by the MDR Server are listed here.
• mmon.ini – must be present to run the MDR, seldom changes
• vxbsp.ini – user may need to edit this file to modify parameters
• vxbp.txt – contains VxWorks boot parameters. User will only edit when chang-
ing boot method (i.e., standalone, shared memory, Ethernet)
• mdr.ini – used to pass information about the physical configuration and options
(i.e., MDR model, disk info, DPIO and FC parameters)
The MDR Shell is the user process used to request services from the MDR Server. Note
that the disk group function (i.e., named groups) is not available when running the MDR
Shell on the MDR board (available only in MDR on Host).
1.7 Data Storage Format
MDR relies on arrays of commercial disk drives as the permanent storage medium, and
the very high recording performance is obtained by striping (interleaving) data across
multiple disks. The typical storage system of an MDR has a storage capacity that ranges
from tens of Gigabytes up to Terabytes, with disks configured as cost-effective JBOD
(Just a Bunch Of Disks) units or as complete integrated RAID (Redundant Arrays of In-
dependent Disks) units with built-in redundancy.
The disk units are connected to MDR with Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) op-
erating at 1.062 Gbit/sec, using the SCSI protocol and command set to communicate
with the disk system. Up to 125 disks units may be connected to the same physical loop.
MDR supports Fibre Channel both with fiber optic or differential twinax copper cables,
and hubs and switches can be incorporated in the storage system to obtain convenient
cabling, easy reconfiguration, maximum flexibility and scalability.
The MDR storage system is organized as a block device: a block device divides the stor-
age medium into a number of blocks, where a unique number addresses each block. The
storage system is typically much larger than each recording, therefore the MDR imple-
ments functionality for storing up to 248 recordings. Each recording must be given the
following attributes:
• Name
• Block number identifying the start of the recording
• Number of blocks specifying the size of the recording, or block number identifying
the end of the recording.
The user must specify these parameters before a recording is started. The recording pa-
rameters of all recordings are stored in the recording table, which is located in a system-
reserved partition of the storage device(s).
In order to achieve high speed and deterministic performance, the MDR implements a
recording table instead of a traditional file system. This means that the user has direct
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

control over the start block and size parameters for each recording. An example of the
recording table is shown after several recordings have been defined. Note that the
prompt at the bottom always displays the name and size of the current recording.
Recorder Info:
Total capacity : 33.9 GiB ( 17365 blocks)
Capacity used : 510.0 MiB ( 255 blocks)
Capacity available : 33.4 GiB ( 17110 blocks)
Largest recording size : 33.4 GiB ( 17110 blocks)
Recorder block size : 2.0 MiB
Number of recordings : 2 (maximum : 895)
RecNo Blocks UserSize Name MB/s Tag Stored State
1 0 - 4 10.0 MiB Recording_1 28.5 No Yes Recorded
2 5 - 254 00.0 MiB Recording_2 39.9 No Yes Recorded / Current
Recording_2 (500.0 MiB) >
The hardware and software architecture of MDR is designed around a 32-bit data path.
However, to facilitate data I/O widths less than 32-bit without losing bandwidth, various
data packing and unpacking options are available in the data interface. This is a very
useful feature when connecting to ADC and DAC boards, which often have sample
widths of only 8 to 16 bits. For example, if a 10-bit ADC is used, the MDR can pack
three 10-bit samples in a 32-bit word before it gets recorded, wasting only two bits
rather than 22 if no packing were used. The packing options provided are 2x16-bit,
3x10-bit, 4x8-bit or 8x4-bits words packed in or unpacked from a 32-bit word.
1.8 MDR Swinging Buffers
The MDR base boards are equipped with two high-speed DRAM buffers which are util-
ized in a “swinging buffer” mode by DMA controllers in the input and output interfaces.
This process ensures contention free input and output data flows through the MDR
board, making a continuous recording performance of up to 90 MB/s possible.
MDR User Guide 7
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

8 MDR User Guide
1.9 Data Readback
MDR provides several ways to read recorded data back from the disk storage system to a
host system (or vice versa for preload in a playback application).
1.9.1Copy to File on Host via network
Recorded data (or part of it) may be copied to one or several files on the host via the
MDR network connection (Ethernet). The read back rate via Fast Ethernet is typically
less than 1 MB/s.
1.9.2Copy to File on Host via Fibre Channel
For the fastest possible read back of the data from the disk storage system, the RAID or
JBOD disk storage system may be attached directly to the host, as shown in Chapter 5:
Host Direct Connection MDR. This requires that the host is equipped with a Fibre
Channel adapter (VMFC-2x00x-xx), and normally gives a read back speed of 40-80
MB/s, depending on the host system. In this case, the MDR board itself does not need to
be present.
1.9.3Simultaneous Recording and Host Read/Write of disks
Read or write of disk data by the host normally takes place “offline”, after a recording is
completed. However, MDR also supports low-bandwidth host read or write traffic con-
currently with recording. Since simultaneous host access will affect the “smooth” opera-
tion of the swinging buffer DMA controllers, this is associated with a certain perform-
ance degradation. For example, 500 KB/s host traffic may result in approx. 20% reduc-
tion in maximum recording speed.
1.9.4Disk Array Physically Moved to a Different Host
The RAID or JBOD disk storage system may also be attached to a different host
(equipped with a VMFC-2x00x-xx Fibre Channel adapter) than the one used during re-
cording, i.e. the host and disk storage system is totally de-coupled from the MDR board
itself. This can for example be used to physically move the disk array to a lab after the
recording is done in a deployed system in the field. In a playback application, this can
for example be used to preload data on the disk array before it is physically moved to the
site where real-time playback will take place through the MDR board.
1.9.5Read to Host Memory using the API
The MDR API provides a function for reading parts of a recording to a user memory
buffer on the host system. This allows for post-processing of the recorded data by the
host without first having to store data to a file.
1.9.6SCSI Tape Station
For backup purposes, the recorded data may be transferred from the disk storage system
onto DLT or AIT-1/2 tapes using a SCSI tape station attached to the optional SCSI con-
troller. The transfer to tape is controlled by the MDR Shell/API.
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

MDR User Guide 9
1.10 Supported PMCs
The PMCs currently supported by the MDR module are:
• VMFC-2100 Fibre Channel PMC
• DPIO FPDP PMC
• DE520 Ethernet PMC
• SC-PMC/875 SCSI PMC
1.10.1 Fibre Channel Storage
The permanent storage medium used by MDR is based on commercial hard disks using
the FC-AL (Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop) interface. MDR gets its disk recording
performance from using an array of Fibre Channel disks such as RAID (Redundant
Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) or JBOD (Just a Bunch Of Disks) units.
1.10.2 FPDP - Digital I/O
An MDR system normally interfaces to its data source with a digital I/O interface based
on the industry standard FPDP (Front Panel Data Port) specification (Proprietary ports
may also be accommodated; please consult factory). The FPDP interface is a 32-bit
synchronous input/output parallel interface which is specified to operate at clock rates of
20 MHz (TTL) @ 32 bits, 25 MHz (PECL) @ 32 bits, and 40 MHz (PECL) @ 16 bits.
The FPDP interface is used by a variety of third party vendors with products such as A/D
converters, D/A converters and DSP boards.
1.10.3 Ethernet Host Interface
The MDR system utilizes an Ethernet PMC module to provide networking access to
hosts like a PC or workstation. The Ethernet PMC modules supported are the Compaq
DE520 and Rockwell Network Systems 2350 PMC FAST ETHERNET.
1.10.4 SCSI PMC Backup
The MDR uses the SCSI PMC module to provide connectivity to SCSI tape stations for
backup purposes. The SCSI PMC current module supported is SC-PMC/875 from
Concurrent Technologies.
For further information on the supported PMCs, see Appendix D: Supported PMCs
Documentation
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

2 Hardware Installation
2.1 Handling Precautions
The MDR hardware components are sensitive to static electricity and can be
damaged by a static discharge. Always wear a grounded anti-static wrist strap an
d
use grounded, static protected work surfaces when touching the hardware
components. When the components are not in use, always keep them in the anti-
static protective envelope.
2.1.1Unpacking
All precautions described above must be taken when unpacking the MDR module from
its shipping package. Verify that no damage has occurred in the shipment. Refer to the
packing list and verify that all items are accounted for. (Items may vary according to the
MDR-2x0 product purchased.)
Each shipment of an MDR board assembly comprises:
1 MDR Board•
•
•
•
PMC Module(s) preinstalled on MDR board and firmware in FLASH
Cables
- RS-232 cable
- Fibre Channel cable, 3m / 10’
- FPDP 80-pin Ribbon cable w/ KEL connectors, 1m / 3.3’
Documentation - this User Guide- Quick Guide- MDR PMC Software License (one
per PMC)
The MDR Host Software (part # MDR-HOST-SW) on CD-ROM is ordered separately.
10 MDR User Guide
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

2.2 MDR Module Board Layout
The MDR module is shipped with the PMC Module(s) already mounted on the MDR-
220 or MDR-250 board.
MDR-220 Top View & Front Panel (with typical PMC population)
MDR-250 Front Panel (with typical PMC population)
MDR User Guide 11
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

2.3 MDR Board Switch and Jumper Locations
The default switch and jumper settings on the MIDAS boards for the MDR base units at
shipment are as shown in the figure below:
i960RD
#2
i960RD
#1
UNIVERSE
VME-TO-PCI
PXB
JP1 JP2
JP4
JP5
JP14
JP7
JP9
JP15 JP3 JP6 JP10 JP13 JP11
SW1
RST DIS BASE ADDR
BOOT
SFAIL
A
UTO ID
VRAI
FLASH RACEway INT
ASIZE
PMC #2
PMC #1
INTERRUPT
JUMPERS
RACEway
JUMPERS
FLASH
JUMPERS
VMEbus CONFIGURATION
JUMPERS & SWITCH
BOOT MODE
SELECTION
Note that darkened rectangles indicate the jumper is installed. For a complete discussion
of each jumper and switch, refer to the MIDAS 100/200 Series User’s Manual.
12 MDR User Guide
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com

2.4 Installing the MDR Module into the VME Chassis
WARNING: Do not install the board in a powered system!
The MDR board can be installed into any VMEbus slot in a 6U VMEbus
chassis, as long as the daisy-chains for the bus
g
rant and interrupt
acknowledge signals are continuous from slot#1 to the slot in which the
MDR board is installed.
Installation into slot#1 of a VMEbus system is automatically detected, as
specified in the VME64 specification. System controller functions are also
enabled consequently.
2.5 Cable Installation
Depending on the PMC population of the MDR, connect the cables as follows:
1. The RS-232 cable to the MIDAS board. The RS-232 is mainly used for debug
output during MDR operations.
2. The Fibre Channel cable(s) between the VMFC-2100 PMC module(s) (slot 3-4)
and the storage device(s),
3. The FPDP cable(s) between the MDR DPIO-XI/O module(s) (slot 1-2) and your
own FPDP module(s),
4. The Ethernet cable between the Ethernet PMC module (slot 5) and your own
Ethernet cable,
5. The SCSI cable between the SCSI PMC module (slot 4) and your tape drive,
2.6 Power Consumption
WARNING: Due to its power consumption, the MDR hardware requires
forced air cooling for reliable operation. Operation on extender boards is not
recommended.
MDR-220: Typical 3.5A/17.5W
MDR-250: Typical 3.5A/17.5W
Please see the sections for the relevant PMCs for their respective power consumption.
2.7 Hardware Configuration
The MDR Base Units are shipped in a condition that is least likely to interfere with
existing VME and/or Ethernet installations. It is configured to not participate in any
external network. As such, the only way to interact with the MDR initially is through the
console serial port. Once the MDR Server is verified to run properly in the standalone
mode, the files in the MDR FLASH may be edited for other options and configurations.
See Chapter 10.
MDR User Guide 13
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com